Commercial car wash operations often include optional extra cost features such as undercarriage wash, rust inhibitor application and tire dressing application. One known method of tire dressing applicator uses an elongate pad of foam material which can be filled with tire dressing by means of internal nozzles and brought into a position where the pad engages the sidewall of the tires of a passing vehicle. Such an applicator is shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,936,104, 6,461,685 and 6,461,429.
In these devices, once the pad is positioned adjacent the path of tire movement, the pad remains stationary. Therefore, there is a strong scuffing or brushing interaction between the tire sidewall and the outer pad surface. This interaction can give rise to rapid pad wear and a requirement for frequent replacement.